aradia fitness
Burlesque 101
Saturday, September 5th, 2009 | Classes | No Comments
We are head over heels for Burlesque dance!
Aradia Fitness is excited to have a new workshop added to our schedule – Introduction to Burlesque. Our instructor Fauna is a vivacious dancer & performer from Greensboro, NC – you can check out her company, Soulflower Dance, by clicking HERE.
When most people think of Burlesque, they immediately think “stripping”.
I however imagine brightly colored outfits, tight corsets, big feathers and a little “risque” behavior. Burlesque is not, and has never been, simply a strip show.
Origins of modern-day Burlesque dance can actually be traced back to the Shakespearean era of theater, when writers such as Miguel Cervantes (think Don Quixote) and Geoffrey Chaucer (The Canterbury Tales) began to poke fun at traditional literature/theater and medieval society.
The term “burlesque” itself is rooted in the Spanish verb “to joke”. The key to this form of dance is that it is FUN! Modern-day Burlesque emerged in the late 19th & early 20th century in music halls featuring elaborate, over-the-top sets and actresses. Known for turning social norms head-over-heels, Burlesque shows employed parody and wit to entertain its audiences.
British (or “classical Burlesque”) focused mainly on parodies of popular opera & theater often poking fun at upper class society. The entertainment of American Burleqsue, however, tended to focus more on bawdy humor and low society.
Striptease had its part in American Burlesque as it was incorporated into the comedy routines. Often people confuse the role of striptease in Burlesque and automatically associate it with the performances seen in modern-day strip clubs. The role of striptease and risque clothing in Burlesque dance was that it defied societal norms at the time; remember, the term “burlesque” itself means “to joke” and “to turn upside down”. If society turned its nose up at something, Burlesque troupes were sure to incorporate it into their acts!
The confusion between Burlesque and striptease arose in the mid-20th century as Burlesque shows began to feature less satirical entertainment. The 1930s was considered the birth of striptease as Burlesque performances ceased to feature elaborate comedies and instead hosted rather simple strip shows.
Burlesque dance became dormant for some years until the late 1990s when a revival began to take place. Presently you can find Burlesque troupes and shows at local theaters and even find elements of Burlesque incorporated into the increasingly popular Roller Derby circuit.
Now that you understand a simple history of Burlesque, isn’t it time for you to give it a try yourself? Check out the upcoming workshop at Aradia Fitness on Saturday September 12 2009 and get a taste of the fun and bawdy Burlesque style of dance!
Can’t make it in September? Keep an eye on the Aradia Fitness schedule for upcoming classes or add yourself to our mailing list to be notified of new classes.
(Interested in learning more on Burlesque? Information for this article is credited to Wikipedia.com; you can learn more by clicking HERE.)
Shoes: A Girl’s Best Friend
Thursday, May 14th, 2009 | Just for Fun | 1 Comment
Six inch heels!
I scoffed at the idea originally. I thought, “Are you crazy?! I’ll break my neck!”
However a good pair of heels is essential if you plan to pursue pole dancing for fitness further. For starters, they make your legs look so freaking good and a million miles long. At Aradia Fitness, we begin wearing our shoes in Level 3 for pole dancing… however we introduce shoes into our Lap Dancing & Chair Dancing classes as well as the Chair-obics classes.
Dancing in heels is a whole new experience completely. It is a killer leg workout. Wearing your sexy heels also elongates all your dance moves and forces you to really slow everything down… adding even more sensuality to your routine. And to top it all off, once you begin to advance in your pole dancing you will need a good pair of heels or boots that will stick to the pole (important when you begin those advanced inverted tricks).
I am a Pleaser girl myself. Their shoes look awesome and they offer a variety of different styles. 4″, 5″, 6″… even 7″ heels. You can buy open toe/strappy heels, closed toes, ankle boots, knee high or even thigh high boots. Plus you can also look for a variety of platform styles (short, tall, see through, flashing!) and heel styles (stiletto, flared, funky). The best thing I like about Pleaser shoes is that they are affordable. My knee high boots were about $45 and my 6″ heels only $35.
The only thing about Pleaser shoes is that you have to track down an online retailer who sells them. I’ve had great success with Zappos and ShoeBuy.
Other shoes brands to check out include Demonia, Ellie, Devious and Lucious. Do your research and depending on what you are looking for, I’m sure you will find it! Seriously – these shoes are so FUN and you can find just about style, look, or fantasy-theme you can imagine
* * * * * * * * * *
Things to keep in mind when buying your dancing shoes:
- HEIGHT:
-If you are terrified of having a super high heel, you can offset this by making sure you have a 2″ or 3″ platform on the shoe. You still get all the height without killing your ankle in the process. Otherwise, get a heel height you can actually walk in… no matter if it is only 3″ or 4″. You got to be comfortable in your own skin otherwise it will translate into your dancing! Confidence is KEY!
- HEEL:
The type of heel you get is also dependent on how comfortable you are in heels. I can handle a stiletto up until about 3″… after that I’m tripping and sliding (lol). I always look for a thick heel or one that flares out at the bottom. However if you love a pointy heel and can’t live without, go for it girl!
- STRAPS:
I am the type of person who has to have the shoe attached to my foot or else I won’t stop worrying about it. I love a strappy sandal or a pleather/leather boot. I can do all my tricks and spins without having to worry about the shoe flying off in the middle of my routine! Some ladies prefer the slip-on shoe style and I’ve seen them do all the same things with no problem.
- DECORATIONS:
Preferably you want a pretty simple shoe free of glitter, jewels, hooks, etc. For example, some knee-high or thigh-high boots are lace up with a lot of eyehooks running up the side or front. If possible, try to find a boot or shoe free of these decorations (look for zip up boot). Why? Because they will SCRATCH your pole and pole scratches cannot be undone! Also keep in mind that a shoe free of distractions will provide you with more surface to grip the pole for your inverted tricks.
* * * * * * * * *
Pole dancing for fitness is centered around feeling sexy and having fun. Finding the perfect shoe (or shoes!!) to bring into your pole fitness routine is a fantastic way to make yourself feel a little more sexy… not to mention through a little attitude into your dancing. So have FUN when you are shopping!
Happy shoe hunting ladies!!
Stop the War in My Rack!
Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 | Events, News | No Comments
JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER!
You may know that one in eight women will be stricken with breast cancer in her lifetime. What you may not know is that you can help these women and thousands of others in the fight against breast cancer.
On June 13, 2009, Aradia Fitness will be participating in the 13th Annual Komen NC Triangle Race for the Cure in Raleigh with a great team of dedicated people.
Join the fight by registering as part of our team, ARADIA FITNESS FLIRTY GIRLS! The Aradia Fitness instructors invite all our clients, family and friends to participate with us in the Recreational 5K event. The Flirty Girls will be bold & beautiful at this event… help us make an impression!
Can’t make it on Race Day? Join us by registering to Sleep In for the Cure® or support our efforts by making a contribution to the team. Or drop off a donation in person to any of the Aradia Fitness instructors at the studio.
Click here to view the team page for Aradia Fitness Flirty Girls
The money raised through the Race will fund vital education, screening and treatment programs for underserved women in our own community and will also support the national search for a cure. 75% of the dollars raised by the Komen NC Triangle Affiliate go to our local Community Grant Programs for underserved women in need of education, screening and treatment services. The remaining 25% supports the world’s largest private funding source for breast cancer research.
We need your support! Every step counts!
Thanks and we look forward to sharing this incredible experience with each of you! Please email Heather with questions regarding this event at [ heather@aradiafitness.com ].
Ladies… it’s time for a TEASER!
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009 | Classes | No Comments
Perhaps you are wondering… what in the world is a “Teaser” class?!
The Teaser class is designed for the new Aradia Fitness student and is the perfect introduction to our one-of-a-kind workout! This one-hour introductory session will give new students a tantalizing taste of our trademark Pole Dancing & Sensual Movement for fitness routines.
March is halfway over, so don’t put off signing up for this intro class any longer!
Teaser classes available on:
(1) Monday March 16 @ 600pm
(2) Saturday March 21 @ 1100am
(3) Tuesday March 24 @ 700pm
(4) Saturday March 28 @ 1045am
Simply visit OUR WEBSITE and look for the “Schedule” tab. Once there, click the link of the day/time you want to sign up to register yourself for the class!
* * * * *
Psst… here’s a secret hint! If you snoop around the Aradia Fitness ZSpotlight.com page… you may stumble across a way to save 50% off the Teaser class!
* * * * *
Spaces are filling up fast so reserve your spot today!
Are you ready to Meet Your Sexy Side?!
Got Pole?!
Saturday, February 28th, 2009 | News | No Comments
If you haven’t met us already… girl, you are missing out!
Pole dancing for fitness has been taking the nation by storm the last few years! It is surprisingly HUGE in the UK and Canada… I guess we Americans are a little behind the curve on this trend.
Now I’ll be honest, I was one of those women at first… the Negative Nancy who thought this was as insane an idea as Carmen Electra’s Aerobic Striptease. Of course, I was still coming into my womanhood at the time and had a hard time thinking of myself as “sexy”. That adjective was always reserved for the tall, skinny, perfectly-perfect golden-skinned goddesses that graced the covers of magazines and DVDs.
Now put yourself in my shoes for a minute.
Turn back the clock about oh, four years or so. You come home from college one weekend to see your mother raving about the latest episode of Oprah she just saw on TV. The one in which a pole dance for fitness instructor taught the queen of afternoon television how to shake her thang on a nine foot metal pole!
Stars above, but my mother was hooked from that moment on.
At the time, I never delved too much into why she was so incredibly intent on learning how to pole dance (I mean, this is my mother we’re talking about here! My mind refused to put “sexy” and “mom” together 
) but I dare you to try and stop my mother from doing something once she’s put her mind to it. She practically grew up in her grandmother’s dance studio and competed in gymnastics throughout high school & college. The idea of this unique, new, and sexy form of fitness struck a cord within her… and even at 50 years old, my mom just knew she had a new calling in life.
Terri Kerr was bound and determined to bring pole dancing for fitness to North Carolina.
And in January 2007, she finally did.
My mother (Terri) became a part of a successful pole dancing fitness conglomerate called Aradia Fitness, which is based out of Canada. She flew up to Canada numerous time for classes and training before she opened the first Aradia Fitness studio in the United States. Right in here in Raleigh’s own backyard!
Since then, dear ole mommy has talked her wayward, skeptical daughter into helping with the business and successfully made a reformed woman out of me. Now I’m the one that wants to talk every woman I see into trying a pole dancing for fitness class out! I can’t believe that they don’t know what they are missing, because you gotta at least try it… just once!
Terri has since acquired a wonderful & vivacious group of instructors who each bring something unique to the women they teach. We’ve had hundreds & hundreds of women come through the studio doors, many shy & uncertain of what to expect when the enter… but its safe to say that 99% leave our doors with a bold new swish in their hips and a sparkle in their eye.
The thing that sets Aradia Fitness apart from other pole dancing for fitness studios, and even further apart from strip clubs, is the atmosphere we provide.
We strive to provide an environment that celebrates the female form and embraces the sensuality our bodies create in movement. We know that each and every female form is beautiful in its own way… we just have to get our students to see that in themselves.
Once you get there though, its quite the transformation.
So welcome to our humble blog. I hope you will follow along as we share the stories and news of the North Carolina division of Aradia Fitness. We are still thrilled to be sharing pole dancing for fitness with ladies in the Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill and Apex area… and we are excited about the possibilities of future expansion into Wilmington, Greensboro, Charlotte and beyond!
Stick with us ladies!
Are you ready to Meet Your Sexy Side?!